Leading businesses – from Peel Ports to Leeds Bradford Airport – can today (31 October 2016) be unveiled as Northern Powerhouse partners.

A raft of firms have signed up to the new government scheme, with many others in the pipeline, meaning the number of Northern Powerhouse partners has surpassed the 30 mark. Each of these companies has committed to join forces with government to help the North achieve its full potential – and attract new jobs and investment to the region.

Prime Minister Theresa May has made it a key government mission to back business growth across the Northern Powerhouse, through record investments in transport, backing for science and infrastructure schemes and cultural and sports funding, such as the £24 million investment to bring the cycling World Road Championships to Yorkshire.

The businesses taking part in the Northern Powerhouse partnership programme – which range from infrastructure specialists and PR agencies to banks and universities - will join a new network of leaders who strongly believe in the potential to grow the Northern economy and are committed to delivering this growth. By pledging their support, this dynamic new network will now champion the North’s strengths, as well as promote new and exciting local developments across transport, skills and innovation, culture, and devolution.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke, said:

We are determined to create a Northern Powerhouse and are clear we must work closely with businesses to pool the abundance of talent across the North to make this a reality.

Today dozens of bold businesses are sending a clear message by joining us in this quest to make the Northern Powerhouse an even better place to live, work and invest in.

But this is just the start, and I would encourage other leading companies to sign up to our new scheme, so we can continue to work together to unleash the full potential of our great northern towns and cities.

Northern Powerhouse Minister Andrew Percy said:

We are determined to create an economy that works for everyone, which is why we’re backing the Northern Powerhouse with the investment and powers it needs to unleash its huge untapped potential.

And with 187,000 jobs created in the North in the past year alone and billions invested through devolution deals, Northern businesses signed up to our new partner programme can be a catalyst for economic growth, not just in the North but throughout the country.

New partners announced today include:

Peel Ports

Creating Inclusive Cultures

North Invest

aql

Medilink

N8

Barclays

Siemens

Northern Health Science Alliance

Leeds Bradford Airport

Marketing Lancashire

Visit Hull and East Yorkshire

Arcadis

Make It York

RTC North

Crawford Healthcare

Avecto

Deloitte

University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN)

Carlisle Lake District Airport

Vivergo Fuels

North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce

Downtown in Business

Hello Soda

Recycling Lives

MC2

These companies join the list of existing partners including Manchester Airport Group, the Peel Group, Atkins Global, North Wales Business Council, Northern Power Women and PD Ports bringing the total number of partners up to 32.

The new network will focus on four key priorities: connectivity and transport; skills, science and innovation; quality of life and culture, and devolution.